Baptisia plant named ‘Mojito’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of interspecific  Baptisia , ‘Mojito’, that is characterized by its flowers that are light yellow-green in color, its flowers that are borne very densely on the raceme, its inflorescences that are borne upright and within the foliage, its foliage that is deep yellow-green in color, its stems that do not lodge, and its early and extended four-week long bloom period that begins in early May in northern Illinois.

Botanical classification: Baptisia hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘Mojito’.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Baptisiaplant of hybrid origin, botanically known as Baptisia ‘Mojito’ and willbe referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Mojito’. The newcultivar represents a new false indigo, an herbaceous perennial grownfor landscape use.

The new invention arose from an ongoing breeding program in a dedicatedtest plot in Glencoe, Ill. The objective of the breeding program is todevelop novel interspecific hybrids of Baptisia that exhibit uniqueflower coloration, hybrid vigor, ease of clonal propagation, anddesirable plant habits.

‘Mojito’ was selected as a single unique plant by the Inventor in Juneof 2008 after evaluating seedlings that derived from a cross made in Mayof 2004 between unnamed plants of hybrid Baptisia from the Inventor'sbreeding program. The female parent was a seedling that derived fromopen pollination of an interspecific hybrid Baptisia(australis×leucophaea). The male parent was a seedling that derived fromopen pollination of an interspecific hybrid Baptisia(australis×sphaerocarpa).

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stemtip cuttings under the direction of the Inventor in July of 2009 inGlencoe, Ill. Asexual propagation by stem shoot tip cuttings hasdetermined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable andare reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Mojito’ as a unique cultivar of Baptisia.

-   -   1. ‘Mojito’ exhibits flowers that are light yellow-green in        color.    -   2. ‘Mojito’ exhibits flowers that are borne very densely on the        raceme.    -   3. ‘Mojito’ exhibits inflorescences that are borne upright and        within the foliage.    -   4. ‘Mojito’ exhibits foliage that is deep yellow-green in color.    -   5. ‘Mojito’ exhibits stems that do not lodge.    -   6. ‘Mojito’ exhibits an early and extended four-week long bloom        period that begins in early May in northern Illinois.

The female parent of ‘Mojito’ differs from ‘Mojito’ in having flowersthat are cream colored with a hint of yellow, in having flowering stemsthat are held clear above the foliage, and in having stems theoccasionally lodge. The male parent differs from ‘Mojito’ in havingflowers that are cream colored with a hint of butter yellow, in having aconspicuously backswept banner petal, and in having a bloom period thatbegins two weeks later. ‘Mojito’ can be most closely compared to theBaptisia cultivar ‘Starlite’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,971) and typicalplants of Baptisia bracteata (syn. B. leucophaea). ‘Starlite’ is similarto ‘Mojito’ in having an early bloom period starting in early May innorthern Illinois and in being very floriferous. ‘Starlite’ differs from‘Mojito’ in having flowers that are lavender to blue in color with ayellow keel, in having inflorescences that are upright to leaning inaspect, and in having flowers that are borne less densely on the raceme.Typical plants of Baptisia bracteata are similar to ‘Mojito’ in havingan early bloom period starting in early May in northern Illinois.Typical plants of Baptisia bracteata differ from ‘Mojito’ in havingflowers that are cream colored with hints of lemon yellow, in havingconspicuously pubescent stems and foliage, in having horizontalinflorescences, in having flowers that are produced on only one side ofthe inflorescences.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Baptisia. The photographs inFIG. 1 and FIG. 2 were taken of a plant five years in age and thephotograph in FIG. 3 was taken of a plant nine years in age, both plantswere grown outdoors in a trial plot in Glencoe, Ill.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a close-up view of an inflorescence of‘Mojito’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a side view of ‘Mojito’ in bloom andillustrates the plant habit and flowering habit.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a side view of the late summer foliageof ‘Mojito’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with thephotographic and printing technology utilized and the color values citedin the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors ofthe new Baptisia.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of five year-old plants of thenew cultivar as grown outdoors in a trial plot in Glencoe, Ill. Thephenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental,climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under allpossible environmental conditions. The color determination is inaccordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal HorticulturalSociety, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinarydictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Four weeks from early May to early June in            northern Illinois.        -   Plant habit.—Upright with a dense, spreading mound of            foliage.        -   Height and spread.—Reaches 1.1 m in width and 1.5 m in            height.        -   Hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 8.        -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility to diseases or pests            has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fine and fibrous.-   Growth and propagation:    -   -   Propagation.—Rooting of stem tip cuttings.        -   Growth rate.—Vigorous.-   Stem description:    -   -   Branch habit.—Densely branched; seven stems on a three year            old plant, 29 stems on a five year old plant, and 60 stems            on a seven year old plant; with an average of 3 secondary            branches, and 0 to 1 tertiary branches per secondary branch.        -   Stem size.—Main stem; average of 75 cm (including peduncle)            in length and 8 mm in width, secondary; average of 21 cm in            length and 4 mm, tertiary; an average of 8 cm in length and            2 mm in width.        -   Stem shape.—Oval.        -   Stem color.—144B to 144C.        -   Stem surface.—Glabrous, satiny and slightly glaucous with            slight vertical ridges.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Fan-shaped in overall outline.        -   Leaf division.—3-palmate.        -   Leaf internode.—Foliage begins about 22 cm from base, an            average of 8 cm on main stem and an average of 5 cm on            secondary branches.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 6 cm in length and width when mature.        -   Leaf quantity.—Average of 19 per stem.        -   Leaflet shape.—Oblanceolate.        -   Leaflet base.—Cuneate.        -   Leaflet apex.—Acute.        -   Leaflet venation.—Pinnate pattern, not conspicuous, color            matches leaflet color on the upper and lower surface with            the mid rib of lower surface 138C.        -   Leaflet margins.—Entire.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Leaflet surface.—Glabrous and slightly glaucous on upper and            lower surface.        -   Leaflet color.—Newly expanded and mature upper and lower            surface 137A, newly expanded and mature 137B.        -   Leaflet size.—Average of 5 cm in length and 1.4 cm in width.        -   Petioles.—Average of 5 mm in length and 2 mm in width,            clasping to stem at mature nodes, 138B in color, surface is            glabrous and satiny.        -   Stipules.—Lanceolate in shape, base is truncate to stem,            apex is narrowly acute to acuminate, up to 2.3 cm in length            and 7 mm in width on mature leaves, 137A in color on upper            and lower surface.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal racemes of pea-like flowers on            main and secondary branches, blooms from the base to the            apex, flowers radially and uniformly dispersed around the            inflorescences.        -   Inflorescence size.—Average of 32 cm in length and 5.5 cm in            width.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About 20 days.        -   Flower size.—Average of 2.5 cm in depth and about 1.7 cm in            diameter.        -   Flower fragrance.—Faint.        -   Flower number per inflorescence.—Average of 39.        -   Peduncle.—Oval in shape, up to 34 cm in length and an            average of 4 mm in width, 144C in color, surface is            glabrous, satiny and slightly glaucous with ridges, flower            internode length averages 1 cm.        -   Petiole.—Average of 5 mm in length, about 1.5 mm in width,            oval in shape, 144B in color, glabrous and satiny surface.        -   Flower buds.—Kidney-shaped, about 2.5 cm in length and 1.3            cm in width, petal portion is 4D in color, calyx portion            same as open flowers.        -   Flower type.—Papilionaceous, held at about a 45° angle.        -   Calyx.—Campanulate, about 9 mm in length and 5 mm in            diameter, surface is glabrous and satiny, 144C in color,            persistent.        -   Sepals.—5, fused with the exception of apex of each, free            portion is triangular in shape 5 mm in width and 4 mm in            depth with an acute apex, 144C in color.        -   Corolla features.—Papilionaceous (4 segments) with a banner,            2 lateral and a concealed keel, lateral wings; oblong in            shape, about 2.3 cm in length and 9 mm in width, color on            outer surface and the inner surface is 4D, rounded apex,            oblique base keel; not visible visible, comprised of 2            segments surrounding reproductive organs, oblong (slightly            oblique) in shape with rounded apex and oblique base, 2 cm            in length and 1 cm in width, upper surface and lower            surfaces are a blend of 4D and 145C in color, segments            joined at center point, banner; orbicular in shape, slightly            reflexed to flat, about 1.8 cm in length and width, upper            and lower surface 4D with mid region and base of 145B, apex            is rounded with a single notch, surface is glabrous on all            sections.        -   Receptacle.—Disk-shaped, gelatinous, 144B in color, about 4            mm in diameter and 2 mm in depth.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—1 Pistil, about 2.3 cm in length, 1.5 mm in            width; style is 144C in color and 1 cm in length; stigma            minute, too small to read color, ovary is superior with a            stipe, 144A in color, 6 mm in length and 2 mm in width and            slightly pubescent; stipe is 144C in color, 3 mm in length            and 1 mm in width.        -   Androcoecium.—10 stamens, not united, 2 cm in length and 1            mm in width; filament is 1.9 cm in length, 1 mm in width and            145C in color; anther is dorsifixed, 2 mm in length and 1 mm            in width and 165B in color, pollen is abundant in quantity            and 13C in color.        -   Fruit.—An inflated pod, technically a legume, average of 1            produced per inflorescence (open-pollinated),            elliptic-oblong in shape, average of 3 cm in length by 1.5            cm in width with a beak approx. 1.5 cm in length, color of            outer surface when mature is a blend of N200A and 200A,            color of inner surface N199B, walls 1.5 mm and hard at            maturity, seed; average of 7 per fruit (open-pollinated),            200B in color, oval with the hilum side more or less            straight, seed compressed to flattish, 4 mm in length, 3 mm            in width and 2 mm in thickness.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Baptisia plant named‘Mojito’ as herein illustrated and described.